Among survivors of COVID-19 hospitalization with elevated depression symptoms, a self-directed mobile app mindfulness intervention showed no benefit over usual care and had poor adherence. In a randomized trial at 29 US sites, 56 participants were assigned to a four-week app program or control. At three months, depression scores improved similarly in both groups (intervention -0.5 vs control +0.1), with no meaningful differences in anxiety or quality of life; six-month results were comparable. Only about half of intervention participants started the program, and adherence was low. Regulatory delays added nearly a year before the trial could launch. The findings suggest that future large-scale psychological distress interventions should prioritize patient engagement and streamlined regulatory processes.
Among critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation, those given ketamine for emergency tracheal intubation had fewer posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at 12 months than those given etomidate. PTSD symptoms were measured with the PCL-5 scale (0-80). The median score was 7 for the ketamine group and 14 for the etomidate group. Probable PTSD (score ≥31) occurred in 15.4% of ketamine patients versus 20.2% of etomidate patients. The analysis adjusted for age, race, sex, education, pre-existing depression or PTSD, comorbidities, illness severity, sepsis, and intubation location. These results suggest a protective association but require confirmation in a randomized trial.